Caterer s vehicle



(N8 Model.) v 8 8 2,S heet s-Sheet"2.

J. P. BALDWIN. GAT'ERERS VBHIGLE- Patented Feb. 7, 1888.

[WIT-N E9558 cheap, simple, and convenient caterers vehi:

- the bottom may be provided with a down- NITED STATES PATENT QFFIC JOSEPH F. BAL WI 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CATERERS VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,594, dated Pebruary 7, 1888'.

Application filed December 4, 1886. Serial No. 220,755. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. BALDWIN, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Caterers Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a ole provided with a heating device or apparatus, by means of which food inclosed within the body of the same when hot may be retained at or near the same temperature for an indefinite period, so as to permit such food to be delivered to customers at a distance from the cookery at the desired temperature to be partaken of, without the necessity of reheating, such vehicle conveying the food to distant points within a city at the desired time for consumption and in a cheap, expeditious, and convenient manner. By this means the odor and annoyances occasioned by again heating the food after its delivery to the customer in the usual way are also avoided.

With this end in view the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of the vehicle, as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional elevation of a caterers vehicle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a similar view showing a modification of the same.

A represents a vertical and preferably cylindrical sheet-metal body or chamber, provided at the lower end with a furnace or heater, B, from the top of which extends a sheet-metal draft-funnel or smokestaclgV, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) it being carried upward outside of. the body of the vehicle; or, if desired, it may extendupward through the center of the cylindrical chamber, as shown in Fig. 2. 7

' The furnace or heater B may extend below the bottom of the; body A, and be provided with a door for supplying the same with fuel to generate heat; or itmay be located within the body A, as shownin Fig. 2, in which case wardly-extended portion to receive the furnace, a door, 0, permitting convenient access to the heater to regulate and supply it with fuel, as described.

The top of the furnace may be supplied'with any suitable receptacle for water, but preferably with a steam drum or vessel, D, from the top of which may be conducted vapor by means of a pipe, G, extending upward within the hot-air. chamber thus formed, and carried across or around the top portion of the same, and provided with a series of perforations, e, so as to permit the escapeof the desired amount of steam or moisture to retain the proper humidity of the air within the chamber when supplied with food, thereby retaining the latter in a fresh and palatable condition and'preventing it from becoming dry or crusty from p exposure to the heated air. Now, in order that a large amount and variety of food may be carried within said chamber and removed therefrom expeditiously, I provide a series of shelves, E, adapted to be rotated separately upon a central support, F, provided with collars H, secured thereto by setscrews or bolts I, as shown, and upon which said shelves have a bearing. In order to provide ready access to said shelves, I provide the body A with a corresponding series of doors, J, snugly fitted within openings formed through the rear side thereof, as shown, at points hetween the said'shelves, so as to permit the inthat, instead of having a door opposite each shelf, a single door extending from top to bottom of the body may be employed, if desired. To retain the interior of the vehicle-body at a uniform temperatureat all points therein, a heating-coil, K, is extended around the inside of the body from the bottom to the top, where it terminates outside the vehicle. This pipe communicates at its lower end with the heater,

and is supplied thereby with hot air, which ascends through and radiates from the coil.

The steam-vessel D may be supplied with a suitable quantity of water introduced through the pipe L, and the interior of the vehicle may be ventilated by a current of air through the short pipes M and N, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the said support-rod F is preferably provided with spring-loearings 1?, while the upper end is adapted to slide in the cap piece R, as shown, thus preventing injury to the dishes or other receptacles placed upon the shelves during the passage of the vehicles over rough roads.

Vithin the vehicle, at the bottom portion thereof, I provide one or more tea and coffee vessels,S, surrounded by a heating coil,T,connected with the main coil K, as shown. The said vessel or vessels S,if desired, may be pro vided with a stop-cocl ,U, or other means, for drawing the contents thereof at the outside of the vehiclebodyA; or such coffee and tea pots or vessels may be arranged and located upon the outside ofthe said body A, if desired, and the said sheet-metal body portion A may be covered over on the outside with wood; or the exterior may be coated or provided with any non-conductor of heat heretofore employed for a similar purpose.

Insteadof the support-rod F shown in Fig. 1, upon which the shelves are supported and adapted to be rotated, I have shown in Fig. 2 a vertical jacket or tube, F, which incloses or surrounds the smoke stack or funnel V, and is provided with a series of collars, H, which are secured in position by set screws or bolts I, and upon which the shelvesE have a bearing.

It will be obvious that instead of passing heated air through the heating-coil, as described, the coil may be formed into a complete circuit and supplied with hot water or steam in the usual manner, and in such case the coil may be provided at suitable points with openings for the escape of moisture into the interior of the vehicle, thus dispensing with the separate vapor-pipe G. It will also be observed that the vehicle may be provided with suitable drawers or stationary shelves in addition to the revolving shelves, and that the relative arrangement of parts may be somewhat altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The body constructed as above described is mounted upon any suitable style of runninggear adapted for the purpose intended.

described, of a central support within said body, spring-bearings for the support, shelves rotatably carried by said support, and a door opposite the shelves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a caterers vehicle, the combination of a vertical body mounted upon wheels, as described, a central support, a series of independentshelves rotatably mounted upon said support, doors opposite the shelves, a heater, a heating-coil connected therewith and surrounding the shelves, a waterreceptacle, and a perforated pipe communicating with the latter for supplying moisture to the interior of the vehicle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 4:. A caterers vehicle consisting of a vertical body mounted upon wheels, a spring-seated rod within the body,shelves loosely supported by said rod, doors J, heater B, drum D, perforated pipe G, heating'coil K, vessel S, coil T, surrounding the latter and communicating with the coil K, and pipe L, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOSEPH F. BALDYVIN. \Vitnesscs:

SYLvENUs WALKER, WVILLIAM I-I. PARRY. 

